| I'm not dead yet! |
[Tuesday, October 27th 2009] |
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mood |
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 drained |
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music |
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Happy Hour - Cheryl Cole |
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I completed day 2 of my 10-week 10K group training (which began with hill work....fml) and don't think I can currently walk, so I stole this from Lindsay:
Current Books: I'm SLOWLY reading The Family by Jeff Sharlet (SO GOOD AND INFORMATIVE), but that has been put on hold while I have so much reading to do for school. Currently I'm balancing 3 books for my Diplomatic History class: For The Soul of Mankind, Henry Kissinger and the American Century, and something about the US and Western Europe Since 1945. They are exactly as much fun as they sound (aka ZERO)
Current Playlist: GIRLS ALOUD (as always), Cheryl Cole's 3 Words album, and Jesse McCartney's Departure album (also as always). Yes, I love pop music.
Current Guilty Pleasure: ONTD, ONTD_P; also, dancing in my apt when no one is around to see me!
Current Colour: Green
Current Drink: Water
Current Food: I'm eating tomato soup and am thinking about grabbing some Ritz crackers
Current Favourite Show: Community! And ABC's Wednesday comedies, such as: Hank, The Middle, Modern Family and Cougar Town
Current Wishlist: To pass my FSOT, to get a job, to make it through the semester/school year, to run the Twenty-10K on Jan 1, 2010 (which I'm training for!)
Current Needs: to blow my nose for the millionth time
Current Triumphs: Getting up the nerve to go to this group training on my own
Current Bane of My Existence: DIPLOMATIC HISTORY AND THE ITALIAN WHO TEACHES IT. And school in general.
Current Celebrity Crush: tough one, but probably hmmm I'll go with a classic: Leonardo DiCaprio
Current Indulgence: Halloween candy
Current Blessing: My friends and family
Current Slang: sketch/sketchy
Current Outfit: old Green day boxers and a Give Blood t-shirt
Current Excitement: My training!
Current Mood: cold, tired
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| It's that time of the semester again... |
[Saturday, April 4th 2009] |
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mood |
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 cheerful |
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music |
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Girls Aloud - Control of the Knife |
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I'm scheduled to register for Fall 2009 (I keep thinking Spring!) classes at 6:30am on Monday. I probably will do it at 7, since lately I've been working out at 6 on MWF. Currently my work out (with my cousin) is canceled, but I think the extra 30 minutes wait won't make much of a difference.
Anyway, usually I love picking out my classes for the next semester. It means that these classes are finally coming to a close, and usually by this point I'm sick to death of the classes I have and want to be done. Plus there's so much hope for the next semester: the classes sound interesting, and there is always the thought that "this year, I'll make all A's!" This semester was different because it's my second to last semester (THANK GOD). Despite only getting 3 hours last semester (<3 London), I'm still on track to graduate May 2010. Granted, I'm taking 2 classes this summer, both in the first session due to a) my cousin's wedding in July and b) the fact that I'd at least like part of a real summer this summer. I still have a lot of required stuff to get in, so my class choice is limited. Some classes I need are only offered in the fall - International Relations Seminar, Intro to Europe, any Political Science class that I haven't had yet, etc. so I definitely needed to get those in. I'm....okay with my schedule. I'm not looking forward to it, really, other than the fact that I'm taking another class with my British History teacher from last semester and I loved that class. Here's what I have to look forward to:
( School stuff under here )
In other non school related news, my cousin is getting married in July (on 7/11 in fact - a date she chose specifically so she could remember the date). All the older girl cousins are bridesmaids, and we'll be wearing gorgeous gold dresses (this one specifically) so I've been on a major kick to lose a lot of weight. My goal is to lose around 60 in total, and at my next weigh in next week I will expect to have lost almost 20 so far (since mid-February) so that's amazing. I drink only water (with the exception of a hot chocolate now and then to get in my chocolate fix) and definitely get my 64oz+ in. I eat tons of fruits (always have fresh apples and oranges at the least) and try to get a salad in a day and stick to whole wheat pasta or sandwiches on whole wheat bread for dinner, and I never get fast food and rarely eat out. I exercise at least 3 days a week (I try for 5, a goal that I will actually get in this week when I go running tomorrow!). I've tried to lose weight before but it's just never stuck. Somehow this time it is, and it's surprisingly easy for me to make the healthier choices and make myself go to the gym. I guess it's just the right time in my life for me to do it. Anyway, I can't wait until I'm finally to my goal, which will hopefully be sometime in the summer/early fall. It will be amazing :)
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| I have a new love. |
[Monday, March 23rd 2009] |
And it's a British teen drama called Skins.
At times it's mostly a porn with a plot, but it DOES have a plot and (at least the first two seasons) it has amazing characters/actors and awesome story lines and REALLY good season finales. The original cast was fucking amazing, but the creators aim to change the cast every two seasons, so the third has an all new cast (except for two girls who were younger in the first two) so it's a bit different. Not quite as good, but I'm still watching! You can watch it here. And please do! It's amazing <3
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| It's only been 5 months! |
[Wednesday, February 25th 2009] |
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mood |
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 tired |
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My last entry, dated October 8, 2008, I started out by saying that it had been TWO MONTHS since my last update. Well, this time it's been almost FIVE! I mean to be fair, I was out of the country for almost three of those, but still. I guess I should update (anyone who even reads this - probably no one, but oh well!) on my life! My experience in London/Europe was AMAZING. It definitely cemented the fact that I want to work for the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer after college. The trick will be passing the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) and the Oral Interview and getting offered a job. The latest statistic I read said that 9,000 people took the test last year, only 20% passed the test (which is the first test of many) and only a couple hundred were hired. Now we are currently under an administration that values diplomacy a lot more than the last, and so the number being hired this year will be around 450. But because of that, and because of the current unemployment/economic situation, even more people are taking the test. Last March around 3,000 people took it. This February 5,000 people took it. I think it will take me several years to make it into the State Department, but I completely think it will be worth it! Other non-work aspects of my trip were amazing as well. I loved, loved, LOVED London itself and would move back there in a heartbeat if I had a job that was paying me a lot, and in the British Pound Sterling! It's an expensive city to live in. But it's so amazing. There is always something to go do or go see or amazing shopping or food (especially Italian food, Chinese food, Indian food, and pastries!) to eat. The public transportation is awesome, especially the Tube, which I always enjoy taking :) There's such a diversity there, too, that is so nice to see after living in small towns my whole life. London is also pretty centrally located to a lot of other European destinations. It was so cool to get to travel so cheaply. My friends (or, more accurately, Facebook friends) would talk about going to frat parties or getting drunk etc (as college students do), while I would be doing more meaningful things, like travel the world! We made it to Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Paris (France), Edinburgh (Scotland), as well as to various places in England (Cambridge, Salisbury, Bath). I got to do and go to so many iconic places in London, too, either with Embassy business or just as a tourist. Some of my favorites were Parliament (went with an Embassy group for a tour - we got to go in the House of Commons and House of Lords and even to the churchy area downstairs), the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office - their equivalent to the State Department) and the VIP lounge at Heathrow Airport for Secretary Rice's visit. The only things I regret not going to are PMQ (Prime Minister's Questions - the Brits are very cheeky during this, and it's always interesting to watch on C-SPAN) and the London Eye.
But I'm back in the states now, back at school. I'm on track to graduate May 2010 (yay!) so that's very, very exciting. I'm not sure what I'll do after I graduate, while I'm taking the FSOT every year - what do you do with a degree in International Relations? - but I'm seriously considering doing AmeriCorps, maybe doing disaster relief. I really, really don't want to do grad school. I'm so sick of school. I'm living sans roommate right now, and am loving it, although sometimes I miss the companionship that having someone else living here would bring. But I think the freedom to cook when I want to, wash the dishes when I want to, watch whatever I want to on tv, do laundry when I want to, shower when I want to, etc. totally make up for that.
I'm also on a big kick to get healthy/in shape for my cousin's wedding this summer. Last time I weighed myself I was at around 180. I won't have a scale here until next weekend when my parents and sister come into town for my (21st!!!!!!!!) birthday, but I've been working out for 3 weeks now, and eating SO much healthier (no cokes, no fast food, and pretty much just lots of fruit, vegetables, salad, whole wheat pasta, and water). We already ordered our bridesmaids dresses for the wedding, and it was in the first week of my working out, so I still have a big size, but the lady said that when it comes in at the end of March I can try it on again, and if it doesn't fit, then we can reorder it in a smaller (or, god forbid, bigger size). So hopefully that's what happens. I go to the gym with my cousin on MWF after our classes, and then I have been going Saturday and Sunday mornings when it opens. I joined dailymile.com and let me tell you - it's all very addictive! But it's a good and healthy addiction to have, as long as I eat properly. And I'm not without eating unhealthily - I made some amazing vegan chocolate mint cupcakes that I quickly ate 6 of and then sent the other 6 off with my cousin. Anyway my laundry is done in the washer and so now I have to hang it up since my dryer is on the fritz. I just thought I would update anyone who is still reading about my life, and, who knows, I could someday update again!
PS - for anyone on Twitter, you can find me here.
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| Helllllo mes amies! |
[Wednesday, October 8th 2008] |
It's been TWO MONTHS since I updated. Is anyone surprised? No, didn't think so. Anyway, it's the eve of the start of my trip to London (in honor of this I'm wearing pajamas that have double decker buses, the tower bridge, and other famous londony things on the pants) and so I've decided to make a blog JUST documenting my trip, so that my family/friends that DON'T know about this lj (ie basically everyone) can keep up with me. If you'd like to do so too look me up ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) amg002 <---- there. So this will probably be the last I'll post on here until I return in January. See you all soon(ish)!
-A
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| I have the best friends |
[Sunday, August 3rd 2008] |
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mood |
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loved |
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music |
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Fram By Frame - The Honorary Title |
] |
One week from right now I'll be on my way home. One week from tomorrow I'll be starting my new job, in the HR department at the plant where my dad works. Two weeks from this weekend I'll get to see my sister <3
So I leave in a week and JUST started packing. Problem is I only have three boxes. I need to get some more. Two I already have filled and taped up, and the third I have a lot of stuff in, but it's not nearly full. It's heavy already, though, so I'll have to find light stuff to put in it. Then I'll have to find more boxes. And by find I mean I'll just go up to the ODepot and buy some. I also need to snag a newspaper when I'm on campus tomorrow so that I can wrap all my breakable stuff up and pack those. I need to look through my pictures and snag some to take to London with me (Heather said this is a Must).
Anyway so tonight all my Office Depot people are coming over for what was a "surprise" going away party for me. Raven ended up telling me about it last night because they're all coming here and since I'm here all day, I might get a little suspicious lol. It's just so sweet of them. The only time I've had a going away party thrown for me was when I moved from Rogers. I guess Arkansas people just like throwing them :)
On the London front, I think I have a place to live. I have to get the final okay from my parents, and it's going to be expensive, but then again, ANY place is going to be expensive. Rent is USD 430/week (yes, a week) and it includes all bills, coucil tax, medical and travel insurance, and a housekeeper comes once a week. Also it's furnished and has plasma tvs and desks and such. So it sounds like a good place, and I'll be there with some of my interns, so all in all it should be good. So that's one less thing to think about. Now I just need my security clearance to come through! Also I need to go chat with the office of academic scholarships. I must do that tomorrow! And I need to go do a change of address thing at the post office (and mail off t he care package I've had for Lindsay since MAY) and talk to walgreens about transferring my perscription or something and ummm pack pack and pack some more.
Melissa was going to come over with my parents next weekend, but she started having contractions (she's due in October). She's not dialated but she's on bed rest for the next six weeks. Basically the goal is to keep the kid in there as long as possible! So the first weekend I'm back, I am definitely going to go stay with her. We're going to go see Mamma Mia, and perhaps The Dark Knight. It just depends on how she's feeling and such. She's really bored with her house arrest (as we like to call it). She's used to being busy all the time, which could be the reason she's having this problem in the first place! At any rate, she's okay, the baby's okay, and I get to see them soon!
Alright it's time for me to take a shower in hopes that my clothes are dry by the time I get out, and then go brave the heat to go to the grocery store. Weather bug says it's 97 (it's cooled down a little...it was 100 earlier) with a heat index if 104. How fun! Not.
-A
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| I love those cheeky Brits. |
[Wednesday, July 23rd 2008] |
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excited |
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music |
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The Daily Show |
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My British history class is one of those classes that assures me that I'm in the right major.
Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "So what if you like a history class? Maybe you should be a history major?" or "You just like it because you're obsessed with everything British." Now, I'll give you that the second one is very true, even more so because I'll be headed over there in two months. But seriously, this class is so fascinating. it's so interesting to learn the differences in the history, especially over events that are major events in both countries' histories. Wars, policies, tragedies, everything are handled differently and viewed differently. I think the thing that fascinates me the most is the political system. I'm still learning a lot, and I only know the basics of it so far. We have the monarchy, currently Queen Elizabeth II, who is mostly just there as a formality, but is still clung to by the British society. They had a chance, within the 20th century, the abolish the monarchy after the Royal Abdication Crisis, and yet they chose to still continue with it. Then we have the House of Lords, who are all nobility and are basically useless, I think. And then the House of Commons with the Conservatives, Labours, Liberals, and so on. And the Votes of No Confidence (if only we used those), and the Prime Minister being able to call an election any time within 5 years, and only having to give 30 days notice.... It's all so different, and all so interesting!
Like a big geek I've been trying to catch Prime Minister Questions on C-SPAN on Sundays. Those cheeky Brits are so awesome. They insult the PM very subtly while asking a question. Seriously, just watch it sometime. Of course they're going on recess so PMQ's won't be back on until October (when I'll be in London!). It's just all so awesome, and my major is awesome, and my future career is going to be awesome.
I had my meeting with the head of the IR department today. He's going to get me set up with 3 hours in Political Science, and he said I could do 3 hours in Journalism, too. I wasn't going to do the Journalism credit, but I think I might. It can't hurt any. He said that about one person a year does an internship with the State Department from the U of A. I don't know why this surprised me. I mean just because I heard about it through someone who was not affiliated with my education at all doesn't meant that other people aren't told about it. His daughter, in fact, had an internship with them in DC and is now a Foreign Service Officer (aka my dream career).
Also one of my fellow interns has worked a few jobs as a fitness instructor, and so I've recruited her as my exercise buddy. I'm going to get fit in London! I think we're going to start running, possibly in Hyde Park. It's going to be so awesome, and I am so excited. All my fellow interns all sound awesome and I think this is going to be the highlight of my life so far. Now, if only they could get back to me about the security clearance!!
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| I love HR (London) |
[Monday, July 21st 2008] |
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mood |
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excited |
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music |
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Swim - Jack's Mannequin |
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I got another e-mail from the HR department in London today! It's always exciting to see one of those in my inbox. Anyway the short and short of it is that I have to get a work visa from the British Consulate in New York before I leave. We have to have a start/ending date for the internship, so obviously this is something that I can't do yet. But at least the London Embassy is good about getting us this information ahead of time! I also sent off my security clearance stuff on Friday. Let me tell you, getting finger printed was a hassle and a half. First of all, I looked on the UAPD website to see what kind of hours/fees they have. It said Tuesday/Thursday 1-4:30 and for students it was free. HAHAHAHA about it being free. It was $5 for the first card because I was a student, and then $5 per each extra card. And, of course, I had two. And, of course, she told me when I handed her my debit card that they only take cash/checks. And, of course, I don't carry either of those anymore, and even if I had a check, it would be out of state and they probably don't take those either. So I had to run to the bank, get some money out, and then hurry back and go through the actual process, during which the guy kept telling me that I was too tense. This is probably due to the fact that I was skipping my Physics and Human Affairs lecture and had my lab at 2 which I couldn't miss. Which doesn't matter anyway because I dropped thoses classes on Friday. I don't think that I would've been able to make a high enough grade in the lecture to keep my scholarship. And that's pretty important to me!
So anyway, I have a meeting on Wednesday morning with the head of the IR department to talk about my internship and me being gone next semester. At some point this week I need to go to the scholarship office to talk about what is going to happen with my scholarship. And that, I think, is all that I need to do in Fayetteville. Besides, obviously, finish these last three weeks of class and get to packing. I need to make a list of things to take home with me....
Anyone know what is important to take when spending three months in London?
Also, did anyone happen to catch the ESPYs? Probably not. I only happened to flip by them a couple of times. Anyway Justin Timberlake was, I guess, hosting and he was pretty funny. He kept mentioning the Memphis Tigers' loss to Kansas in the NCAA Championship game. And he would get so upset. Hilarious. And then his song and dance number "I love sports" was good, too. Those were the only parts I actually watched. If I saw sports people on the stage or whatever, I went ahead and changed the channel.
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| Life update! I shouild give these more often |
[Saturday, July 12th 2008] |
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mood |
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mellow |
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music |
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Under the Stars - Feltbeats |
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It's been awhile since I've udpated, so while I wait to get ready for hell - I mean work - I thought I'd update. Let's see, where to start....
School, I guess. I'm currently in the middle of my second summer session. And by middle I mean....1/3 of the way finished. Physics and Human Affairs lecture is the worst class I've taken, ever. My teacher doesn't seem to know what he's talking about most of the time. The lab is okay because we just go in, do our lab, and take a little quiz and then that's all. It should be an easy A. My British History class is pretty cool. I'm dreading Monday, though, because we turned in a book review on a book I didn't read and you can totally tell it by my review and we're getting those back Monday. I hate disappointing teachers. Anyway my teacher is British and he's so cute in a nerdy way and has a very dry sense of humor. It's awesome, and I love it. I got my grades back for the first session, and to my MAJOR surprise I got a B in both of my classes. I was sure that hoping for a C in AFP was going to be aiming too high. So my scholarship is still safe, this far. I still need to go to the Scholarship Office to talk to them about what to do with me being gone next year. I also need to talk to the head of the IR department. I've been e-mailing him, but I haven't been by to visit him and talk in person about what exactly I need to do. I need to do that last week. My time in Fayetteville is running out!!
So work really sucks. My boss is officially the worst, ever. My coworkers, for the most part, are the best ever, though. We had a cookout a couple of weeks ago and it was so much fun. Today is my second to last day of work, my last one being tomorrow. I'm really excited to just be able to concentrate on school and packing. I'm dreading the actually moving out part because it's going to be a LOT of cleaning and I've been hearing moving out horror stories from everyone.
I'm moving back home on the 10th of August and my dad has me a job starting the 11th. I'm going to be working in the HR department at his plant. Monday through Friday 8am-5pm, and I'll be making $13/hour. My first order of business will be to pay off my credit card, but then after that it's strictly going to be saved for London. I am kinda considering upgrading my phone before I go, though, to a BlackBerry. I think I'll wait to decide until after I talk to the people at Verizon about what kind of global plans they have. I mean, I'm going to get one of those pay-as-you-go phones for when I'm actually in London, but I'd feel better knowing that my parents could get ahold of me if they needed to, especially since I won't be home when my sister has her baby.
The State Department FINALLY sent us the rest of our security clearance papers. I still have to get a little information from my South African aunt, update my employment history, and get finger printed before I mail it back. The deadline is August 1st, but I want to get it out Monday. The sooner they get it, the sooner I get my clearance. They said if they haven't been able to give clearance by mid-October (the 17th, I think), basically you're out of luck, and are free to apply for an internship for another time. Which I think is really shitty of them, considering that it's taken THEM until July to get us these forms when we were informed of the internship in APRIL. But, whatever. I don't have a lot of experience overseas, so hopefully my clearance won't be too bad. I just have a lot of employment experience, lol.
Anyway so that's what's up with my life. School. Work. Stressing over London. Now, unfortunately, it's time for me to get ready for OD. Boo.
Amanda
PS - Tom Felton has released an album on iTunes under the name Feltbeats. Yes, I have it downloaded (did anyone doubt?). It's pretty decent. "Time Well Spent" makes me miss my friends. "Time Isn't Healing" I've had for awhile, but this is a differently mixed version than I had. "Under the Stars" is good too. "Right Place, Right Time" is adorable. Ahem. Anyway....
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| Health problems |
[Wednesday, June 25th 2008] |
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mood |
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exhausted |
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So I went to the doctor's today. I've had a problem three months this year so far with my period. It's been long [2 weeks] and heavy - let's leave it at that. So I'd been having a few other health problems - weight gain, couldn't lose weight, extreme fatigue - that are all symptoms of being problems with the thyroid, so I asked to have that tested. They took some blood and are going to call me Tuesday with the results. However, my doctor doesn't think it's a thyroid problem. She thinks it's Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) but didn't exactly diagnose me with it. My mom thinks that maybe she did this because someday it could cause problems with me trying to get health insurance on my own if I'm actually diagnosed with it. At any rate I have to take birth control pills, which I have been anyway on and off for a few years. Now I just have to be sure to actually stick to it. Also I need to remember to be taking my iron pills daily.
Another thing is I need to lose weight. When they weighed me at the doctor's office I got the unpleasant news of hearing that I'm currently at 186. According to sparkpeople.com, this is "obese" for my height. So I'm definitely going to have to lose weight. If I can lose 2lbs a week, I can be down twenty lbs by the time I leave for London and down like 60lbs by the time I get back from London. I'm also going to have to start working out. I want to look into getting a memebership at Curves. I feel like it won't be as intimidating as the gym on campus is because on campus you have all the student athletes and the greek boys and girls who are all insanely fit. And then I'm not. And with Curves it's just women, and probably mostly older than me so I feel like that could be good for me. I'm also going to start eating healthier. No more junk food, no more fast food, no more cokes. I bought some fruits/vegetables/whole weat wraps/ and healthy stuff like that at the grocery store tonight. I still need to get a bottle for my water so I can carry it around with me and not be tempted to buy cokes, and a scale so I can track my (hopefully) weight loss.
So anyway, that's what's going on in my life, apart from work/school. I need to either do scenerios for Communications or work on readng A Problem From Hell for my final American Foreign Policy paper, but I'm so exhausted that I might just go to bed. I can get up early tomorrow to do the scenerios - I don't have AFP so I'll have an extra hour and a half before Communications.
Have a good night!
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| More London info! |
[Thursday, June 12th 2008] |
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mood |
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tired |
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Wow it's been a long time since I've updated! Anyway so here's what's going on with my internship now:
I still don't know when I start. I've heard Sept 1 and Sept 30, so I don't really know. We just got to start on the security clearance process. It involves this insanely long form online, which I'm almost done with, and then they are supposed to mail us packages that contain more forms plus the form to get finger printed on. It's been two weeks and we haven't gotten our packages. We got a lot of information regarding London itself and the housing situation - they aren't providing or paying for our housing, so basically it's up to us - and we found out a little bit about what we're doing and who the other interns are. There are 13 of us who will be in London. I have another boy working in the Political Affairs Office with me - I can't remember if I mentioned that before. Some of us started a Facebook group and we're hoping to live together in a group flat. So basically, we know some, but not everything. At work they keep asking me when I'm leaving, but I never can tell!
Summer school is sucking a LOT. I'm taking 13 hours over the course of two sessions. Right now I'm in Communications and American Foreign Policy. I think I'm aiming for a C in AFP because 20% of our grade is participation and I haven't participated at all and we only have two weeks left! I just don't know about the topic to give meaningful discussion. Plus I keep falling asleep, which really, really sucks since my teacher is pretty cool. I should be okay in Comm. I'm thinking an A. The last two weeks are really going to suck, though, because in just that class we have two speeches and with those speeches we have to do power points, outlines, and something to hand out to the class, and our final exam. In AFP we have two papers left. And, of course, at work I'm working four days a week now - Friday through Monday. Classes end on the 27th, and then the next Monday I start Physics & Human Affairs. The Monday after that I add Great Britain 1901-1982. I took the Advanced Comp Exam last week, and will be getting those results back in about three weeks. Hopefully I passed! That would mean I would get 16 hours for the summer.
The only other big thing that has happened to me was my kitty killing my computer. She knocked a glass of water over on it and of course I didn't know to take the battery out. But my parents thought my college fund could absorb the cost of a new laptop so now I have a shiny new widescreen Toshiba. I love it, despite the fact that it has Vista on it. I like a lot of things about Vista but there are some bugs that annoy me. Like when the task bar at the bottom freezes up and I get the "an error has occurred" and I have to choose the button about restarting the program. But, really, other than that I love my new laptop. It isn't a Mac, but it will hold me over nicely until I do get one!
So other than school sucking, work sucking, and the heat sucking, that's about all that's going on in my life right now! I have really been wanting to re-read HP7, but I don't even read the books I need to for class, let alone for pleasure...
Oh yeah and I went icon CRAZY and added a ton. A lot of HP and Colbert.
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[Monday, April 21st 2008] |
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excited |
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music |
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Home Improvement |
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I'm still excited over London!! I found my fellow Political Affairs Office intern on facebook and we're friends, and I found a State Department Interns facebook group that I check religiously. I haven't gotten my security clearance packet yet, but I'm hella excited. My uncle, who is a Marine, applied for a job with the FBI and had to fill out one of those packets, so he's going to help me.
Like the new icon? Not sure who made it, but I'm going to try to find out ASAP. Tomorrow, probably. It's a pic of him from Emma Watson's 18th birthday. Speaking of which, I was calmly looking at www.wwtdd.com to see what the racy pics of Miley Cyrus were, and bam! Pics of "Hermione Granger's kitty." I did NOT want to see them. Luckily you had to click on other pictures to see anything close, so I was able to avoid those. Poor girl. Although why celebs feel the need to run around with short dresses and no underwear, I will never understand.
Anyway, it's late and I have class AND work tomorrow, so I'm out.
-A
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| Me + Fall + Internship + London = REALITY |
[Monday, April 14th 2008] |
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mood |
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We would like to interrupt the shock that you are, no doubt, still feeling over the fact that I updated to bring you The Biggest Piece Of News Ever In My Entire Life.
I got an internship. At the American Embassy LONDON.
Yes, folks, this means that I will be spending my September/October through December in LONDON, ENGLAND, working in the Political Affairs office. I think I might have died.
That is all.
Still so shocked you could push her over with the feather,
Amanda
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| First update in....six months?? |
[Monday, April 14th 2008] |
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happy |
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A Million Ways - Ok Go f/ Bonerama |
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Hello my darlings! It's been an insanely long time since I've updated. Let's see what's new with me...
-The semester's almost over. I ended up not getting the GPA I needed to stay in the honors college, so after this semester I'll be in all non-honors classes. I dropped the Philosophy class because I was getting to be a week overdue on a paper. I'm still going to get my hours by taking classes this summer. I'm taking Intro to Communication and American Foreign Policy the first session and then the second session I'm taking Advanced Composition and Physics and Human Affairs (lecture & lab). I'm taking 13 hours over the summer, and only 12 in the fall! It's crazy. In the fall I'm taking International Organizations, Intro to Comparative Politics, Geography of Europe and Intro to Europe. I wanted to take Creating Democracies, because my old IR teacher is teaching it, but it was full, and I need Comparative Politics as a pre-req. It looks like it should be a good semester, since I'm getting into tons of classes for my major. I tried to take my last French class, but there aren't any open anymore that I can take. I could probably get an override into one...but I think I really need to take Intro to Literature because it would count for French and for a European Studies minor, but it's not even offered in the fall. So maybe I'll wait. But at this rate, I have three classes on Tuesday/Thursday and one on Wednesday, so my Mondays and Fridays will be school free! Unfortunately this means that I'll only be able to work Friday thru Monday, so I'll probably work all those days.
-SOUTH AFRICA WAS AMAZING!! The only sucky thing was that the plane ride was SO long, and on the flight there I got sick and threw up and luckily I had an extra shirt because it got on that. I think it was from the breakfast they served us. Anyway after I got situated they gave me some ginger ale and then I spilled it on my lap! Luckily there were still a lot of hours to go before we switched plans at Jo-berg for the last leg of our journey, so my lap was dried by the time we got there. We got our first taste of South African food at the Jo-berg airport. We had these burgers and they were interesting. Anyway everyone was so awesome there - I love my aunt's sisters and their husbands and her parents and her sister's son and pretty much everyone I met. The wedding was beautiful, the place was beautiful, and I highly recommend that everyone go to Port Elizabeth/Jeffrey's Bay.
-I've figured out what to do with my life! And it's all thanks to South Africa. One of my aunt's sisters is married to a retired navy man. His last few years in the navy were spent in London, where he worked at the American Embassy. I was talking to him about the fact that I want to work in an embassy, and he said "For the State Department?" and then I said "Uh, sure" because, really, I had no idea. He suggested that I should try for an internship there. So when we got back home I looked it up, and have found the career I want. I want to be a Foreign Service Officer in Consular Affairs. This means I would help Americans stranded abroad and would be involved in the visa process. I've also been looking at the Peace Corps as another option, but I'm not sure about that. I should be graduating a semester early, so I still have like a year and a half to figure out what I want to try first.
-The other big news is I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!! My sister got married in January and apparently got pregnant around that same time (she says on her honeymoon). She thinks she'll be due in October. I'm so excited. I've known for like a month, but she only broke the news to the parents/extended family this week. I think the general consensus is that it wasn't good timing, but we're excited. I want to buy all sorts of little cute baby clothes for her, but my mom says it's too early.
-I have a new job! I work as a cashier at Office Depot now, and I love it. Well the job itself is really boring and kinda sucky, but I like all of my coworkers, and most of the customers. I got Raven a job there, too, and she likes it as well. It feels good to be employed at a job I don't hate.
Anyway, that's all the news I can think of right now. Hopefully I'll get back in the habit of updating this more regularly!
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| It's the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown! |
[Wednesday, October 31st 2007] |
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Jeff Foxworthy on CMT |
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I should be asleep right now. It's been a really long day, and I've started going to the gym in the morning on MWF with my cousin, so I have to be up early in the morning. I can't sleep. Probably because I took a nap earlier and then just finished watching House, SVU, Daily Show/Colbert, and SVU again (both really good episodes of SVU). I woke up this morning at 5:40am because my registration time was 6am. My internet has been sucky lately, so I didn't know if I was going to have it, or if I was going to have to go up to campus. Luckily I had internet, and here's my schedule:
Advanced French - MWF 9:30 - 10:30
Honors Intro to Philosophy - MWF 10:30 - 11:20
Basic Economics Theory & Practice - MW 3:00 - 4:20
Environmental Justice (colloquium) - MW 4:30 - 6:00
Honors World Civilization II - TuTh 9:30 - 10:50
It's not too bad. 15 hours, and so after this semester the only core requirements I'll have left are: one more science (probably Physics and Human Affairs), one more fine arts (possibly Art History), and colloquia in humanities (two- 3/hr courses) and social science (one - 3/hr course). Then, of course, I have all my major classes and electives. I officially switched majors to International Relations with a minor in French. My concentration in IR will be European Studies, and if I decide not to do French, that will be my minor. Apparently I have to have a minor. So now school is figured out. I just have to get all A's this semester to stay in the honors college. Speaking of! I got some grades back on tests:
I made an A on the French test I took last week!!! I was really excited, because it's the first A I've made on a French test....possibly ever. Maybe i made some in high school, I can't remember. I made a 90 (A) on my music lecture test. This is good...but because I made an 80 on the first test, I have to get a 100 on my last test to make an A in the class. The teacher thinks his grading system (90 - 100 = A, etc.) is "very liberal" so he won't round. I got a 79 (B-) on my Geology test! This gives me hope, because I just have to get like an 86 and a 90 on my next two tests to make an A in the class, and if I take the time to read the chapters a little better, I think I can do it. So I guess Music Lecture can be my B. I haven't gotten my IR test back, and I just took my World Lit test today.
Anyway, I really need to force myself to bed. Good night y'all, and have a happy Halloween!
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| School, again |
[Sunday, October 28th 2007] |
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watching Hannah Montana |
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I am SO frustrated with picking out classes for next spring. For my scholarship, I have to have 30 hours by the end of the spring semester (and a 3.0 GPA). I've almost taken all of my core required classes. I think the only thing I'll have left is one more science colloquia classes in Humanities (6 hours), Social Sciences (3 hours), and Math/Science (3 hours). The problem is, all the classes I want to take, especially my International Relations ones, aren't available. Here's what I have so far
FREN 3003 Advanced French
MWF 9:30 - 10:20
HIST 1123H Honors World Civilization II
TuTh 9:30 - 10:50
ECON 2143 Economics - Theory & Practice
MW 3:00 - 4:20
PHIL 2003H Honors Intro to Philosophy
MWF 10:30 - 11:20
PEAC 1901 - Special Topics (Women's Self Defense)
TuTh 3:30 - 4:50
And so..yeah. That's 13 hours, which would give me 29 hours at the end of the semester for the year. I could take another one hour class, but I really want to take another three hour and get it knocked out of the way. Oh well. I guess when I talk to my advisor tomorrow he'll help me figure something out. After all, that's what he's there for! I get to register bright and early at the crack of 6 am on Tuesday.
Oh the brightside, I figured out how to make my cat happy: pull up my blinds so she can sit on the windowsill and enjoy the outdoors.
Also, I don't know if I mentioned it yet, but we are officially going to South Africa for my uncle's wedding! We're leaving here on December 24th and coming back on January 2nd. So I'll be spending Christmas and New Years over there! And hopefully coming back with lots of amazing things. And a tan! Since it will be summer and we'll be just a walk from the beach.
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| Wow it's been forever! |
[Saturday, October 20th 2007] |
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It's been SUCH a long time since I updated! Here are a few new things in my life:
1. I quit my job at Logan's. There was too much drama between the servers and the hosts and the bosses were pretty much assholes. Also, they were working me 6 shifts in 5 days/week which was taking a toll on my school work. And as we know, school comes first. Currently I'm unemployed, and my first idea was to stay unemployed and just sell my plasma. It's something I've wanted to do anyway, and getting $260/month for it isn't a bad perk. But the process apparently takes 2-3 hours, and I just can't make myself go do it. So now Raven knows of this catering place that is hiring a part time worker for $10/hr. I would be baking/cooking, which I love to do, and getting paid a lot, so I'm going to go over there on Monday after I get out of class and apply there. If that doesn't work, I'm going to apply at one of the local grocery stores, I think. Or maybe I'll try my luck at Barnes & Noble again. I'm hesitant to get into retail because I know they can't get off work between the day after Thanksgiving and past Christmas. Which brings me to my next point....
2. WE BOUGHT OUR SOUTH AFRICA TICKETS!!! December 24 - January 2 I will be in South Africa for my uncle's wedding! I'm so excited. First, because it's a foreign country (although technically I've been to another country - Canada - but I keep forgetting since we walked there). Secondly, I've always been fascinated by South Africa. The Apartheid was the topic of my 12th grade term paper, and I used to love the old Disney channel movie about the white girl from SA who goes on an exchange program to live with a Black family during the 70's. Also, the weather is going to be like end of June weather here, and we'll be a short walk from the beach. Hopefully I'll come back with a tan!!
3. My sister's wedding is almost all planned out, I think. They're getting married in our church back home (which will make my grandma very happy, since it's a Methodist church), and the reception is going to be at the country club. She has her dress, and the bridesmaids have their dresses (mine is currently being altered). The invitations have been ordered, they just have to be sent out when they get here. Pretty much all they have left to do is flowers and food for the reception. Amber (her roommate) and I still have to plan her bachlorette party. Hopefully we'll do that next month when I go home to visit.
4. My computer crashed last week. I started out with the power cord dying (for no apparently reason) and then the next day I couldn't get it to start. I kept getting an Unmountable Boot Volume error. So we took it to a place that specializes in Dell, and turns out my hard drive was "very bad" so I have a new one, and it's 80GB! My last one was only 40 GB. Now I have an external hard drive that I don't need anymore. Oh well. My mom had to mail me our Office disks so I could reload them and I had to redownload everything, like AIM and MSN Messenger and such. But I'm soooo glad to have my computer back.
5. Next week is the week from hell at school. I have exams in every class. French: Mon (oral) and Wed (written); Music Lecture: Tues; Geology: Thursday; International Relations: Friday; World Lit: the next Tuesday. At least I'm not working so I can concentrate on school.
6. The kitten's name is officially Kitty. Nothing else really suited her. She got fleas really bad so I had to take her to the vet's a few weeks ago to get some medicine since she's so young (born on July 31st!) and can't use over the counter stuff. Kitty is her official name at the vet's office. She's being angelic right now, sleeping on my pillow, but I think she's worn out from the excitement of the morning (chewing up my blinds and falling into the toilet). Normally she's crazy and likes to bite things (aka ME) since she's teething. She wears on my last nerve, but I do adore her.
So those are pretty much what's happened/happening in my life these days. I think I'm gonna get off of here and throw some clothes on and go get a haircut. I'm ready to chop it all off! And by all off, I mean shoulder lengthish :)
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[Wednesday, August 29th 2007] |
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sleepy |
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Alleluia, Vidimus stellam (Gregorian chant) |
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I'm mid-way through week two of school, and I'm so tired. The good news is, my life has so much less stress now that I'm not taking H2P! Although I do have the added pressure of having to get a 3.25 cumulative average this semester, or I'll get kicked out of the honors college. They already sent me a warning e-mail. I already was going to try to get all A's, but now I'm just going to try harder. If I get kicked out, it won't be that big of a deal, but I'd still like to try and stay in it. Plus, I really need the honors college study abroad scholarship if I'm going to study abroad. There's no way I'd be able to afford it otherwise.
I feel like a geek, but I'm really starting to like my Intro to International Relations class. Right now we're kind of going through history and learning about each big world treaty that was meant to control violence and stuff like that, and learning how each one failed, resulting in wars. We discussed WWI today, and so Friday should be WWII. It's history, but without having to memorize dull dates and names. I find that really interesting. Sometimes I liked to watch the History Channel. One day last semester they were doing a show on the Russian royal family that was murdered in 1917 (the Rominov's, I think, although I think I spelled that incorrectly), and I so wanted to watch the whole thing, but I had to go to work.
And that brings us to work. I've finished my training and I took my final exam (yes, an exam at work! It sucked. We had to describe various items on the menu). Monday night was my first night serving by myself. It wasn't too bad. Tip money wasn't that great that night or last night, but they were just Mondays and Tuesdays. I work again tomorrow, and then Friday. I wish I wasn't working so much. I feel so exhausted. I'm sooo glad I had tonight off. I'm going to do laundry and catch up on my world lit homework (yes - I'm behind already) and maybe study some French. French is amazing me right now. I actually understand what the professor is saying and understand how to respond when I'm asked a question.
My sister moved her wedding date up. Now it's January 20th. Which means I have until near then to lose some weight and get a little bit of a tan before I have to stand up in front of everyone. Sighs. At least I'll be pretty for Mark and MC's wedding, too. Assuming we can still afford to go to South Africa, what with Melissa's wedding being six months sooner. Sighs. Probably not.
Apparently almost all of my friends in real life smoke weed. One of my best friends did it recently, and she was the last person I'd ever thought would do it. Other people I'm like "oh, okay" when they tell me. I don't really think differently of them. But with her.....I don't know, I just got really disappointed. I mean, I know weed isn't really that bad, compared to a lot of things, but I've been raised to think weed = drug = very bad. Everyone is trying to get me to do it, but I don't know. I like that I haven't done anything illegal (except for drink underage - but really, I think the legal drinking age should be 18, just like it is in every other country except ours). I can't help but think of my future and worry that if I do crazy stuff, like smoke weed or get tattoos or weird piercings, that it will some how not get me a job in the field that I want. Being in International Relations, I'm going to have to project a good image for my country.
Anyway, I probably won't do it, although I'll possibly always feel like I'm missing out on something. It's probably all for the better, anyway.
Well, I have laundry and homework that are calling my name. Ciao, darlings.
PS - I'M GETTING MY KITTEN IN LIKE A WEEK. I'M SO EXCITED. I LOOKED AT KITTEN STUFF AT WAL MART TODAY AND WANTED TO BUY LOTS OF IT FOR MY FUTURE KITTEN. IT'S A GIRL. MULTI COLORED. ANY THOUGHTS ON NAMES?
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[Tuesday, August 21st 2007] |
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tired |
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music |
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water dripping, somewhere |
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Well another week has passed without me updating. But I do have an excuse this time. Our "Free Wi-Fi" is shitty, and only works half the time, which was a huge problem last week when I got an e-mail from the university telling me (and all the other honors students taking geology this semester) that those signed up for GEOL 1111M sections 001 and 002 should be signed up with GEOL 1113H 001 and students signed up for GEOL 1111M sections 003 and 004 should be signed up for GEOL 1113H 002. I was signed up for GEOL 1111M 001 and GEOL 1113. The entire reason I'd taken Geology this semester was to have a class with Raven. I didn't realize I had to be in an honors lecture, too, since I didn't have to be in one for Biological Anthropology last fall. Anyway, I kept trying to fix it but the internet wouldn't work. Finally it's fixed. I'm in GEOL 1113H 002 and GEOL 1111M 004. So, I've had all my classes, except for Geology Lab (which I won't have until tomorrow), so here are my thoughts:
International Relations: I'm the most excited for this class, because it's my major. It's a really, really big class (probably 80 students)...well, I guess not really, really big. That would be those 400 student lectures that most gen ed lectures have. Anyway, it's pretty big for the classroom, because every seat was full, and we still had some people missing. The teacher seems nice. All we have to do is take three tests (no final exam). He said we'd be fine as long as we did the reading and showed up to class.
Intermediate French II: My teacher is actually French! This probably excites me the most about this class. It's a small class, as always, and it's in Old Main this year, so that's a little bit of a walk from the parking garage. The teacher seems really nice, though. She knows that we won't be able to understand every little thing that she says. Anyway, the grading is about like it always is, and I have a quiz tomorrow, of course. I like that it's in the afternoon, so I can study while I'm home for lunch. Which should be nice.
Geology: It's a really, really small class - only 14 people - for it to be a gen ed lecture. But then, it's honors, and that is one of the perks of being in an honors class. I feel like I'm part of a group of really smart people in my class. Every person, except for me, either mentioned a language as a major/minor as we introduced ourselves around the classroom, or is from another country. The tests should be pretty difficult, though. He says since it's a small class and we're honors, it's going to be essays, short answers, diagrams, and simple calculations. I didn't bring my calculator back with me; I suppose I'll have my dad bring it over when he comes in a week and a half.
Music Lecture: this is yet another honors course that I'm taking (basically everything is honors, except IR and French). MY TEACHER IS HOUSE. Well, he looks SO much like House. Except he's nicer, and makes jokes. I think I'll like him, although he didn't get a very high rating on ratemyprofessors.com But oh well. I got the wrong book for this course, so I'm going to have to take it back sometime before Thursday.
World Literature II: This was my last class of the day. I'm not sure what I think of the class. It's going to deal with a lot of reading, just like my English class last semester that I did so horribly on, but I think I'll do better, since it isn't just poetry (although we are - please kill me now - reading William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience). I'm looking forward to the end of the semester, because we're watching three movies, two of which are Fight Club and Pulp Fiction. My dad's favorite movie of all time, hands down, is PF. He quotes it ALL the time, and ALWAYS manages to catch it when it's playing on tv, even if it's one of the obscure movie channels that we get, but never watch. I called him as soon as I was out of class to tell him that, and he got really excited. I think it's because none of us have expressed an interest in watching it, and he just loves it so. I'll probably join in on the quoting just to annoy my mom. Also, the other highlight of the class is this Creative Writing Assignment. It's not that I'm looking forward to the assignment, it's just that as soon as I read it I thought "Hahahaha we're doing fanfiction!" We have to write a 4 to 5 page scene of a conversation between two or more characters from something we've read over the course of the semester. Here was my example of what I was going to write (posted on Lindsay's facebook wall)
Gregor, the Bug, in Kafka's The Metamorphosis, confronts his parents
Bug: WTF, guys. That was so lame that you threw apples at me and killed me.
Parents: Our bad.
Hahahaha.
Anyway, so that's school. Tonight was my first sort of night at my new job. I got a job as a server at Logan's Roadhouse. I've never been a waitress before, so I'm really, really nervous. But I'm kind of excited, because of the tips. But then, on the other hand, what if I don't get enough in tips to cover the bills? Ahhhh, I'm such a worry wart. I start officially working tomorrow. Raven told me my mission is to meet a man. Tomorrow night shouldn't be too bad because my friend Mary is working, too. She's a hostess. I think they were going to promote her to waitress, but then they switched me to it (I was originally going to be a hostess, too, starting out at 7.50/hr with a raise in a month or so to 8/hr). I hope she won't be pissy with me.
I got a subscription to netflix since we don't have cable, and my first movie came in tonight and I'm sooooo excited. It was The Painted Veil, and I watched it tonight and cried like a baby. It was so good. It didn't end like I expected it to, but I really liked it. I think my next movie is the Disney version of Sword in the Stone. I'm excited! Anyway, I need to get off here. I'm going to read some more of The Truth About Forever, and then do my IR reading before bedddy bye time.
OH YEAH! The new Cartel cd came out, and I bought it at Wal Mart and it is SO good. Go buy it, right now.
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| i'm alive!! |
[Monday, August 13th 2007] |
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mood |
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hopeful |
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So it's been roughly around three weeks since I last updated. I feel bad for this, but I've been SO busy that there's nothing I could do about it. It's late and I'm exhausted so I'm not going to piece together a real entry, just a few updates.
1. I went to work with my sister for two weeks, which is the biggest reason that I hadn't updated. She got offered a Taco Bell within the franchise that I work for when I'm at home, which I know I've mentioned before, I just am too lazy to go back and check. Anyway, I worked there for two weeks and lived with her, her boyfriend, and their roommate, Amber. I had a blast, and I miss my sister so much. It made me so sad the day after I'd gotten home when she called me and said "I was laying on the loveseat, watching tv, when something funny happened and I turned to tell it to you...but you weren't there." Let's get a collective "Awwww!" Anyway, I worked tons, and so my paycheck was VERY nice.
2. I got my wisdom teeth out this past Friday. I finally got to where I can eat real food today, but I'm so so scared that I'm going to get food stuck in the wounds and will have to be sliced back open without the aid of drugs to numb the pain. I haven't been taking my medicine as I should (I have a pain pill that I can take every 4-6 hours; a penicilin that I have to take 4 times a day; an 800mg ibprofuen that I can only take every 8 hours). The regular pain med does nothing for the pain, and I can't ever seem to remember to take the penicilin. I'm so worried that something is going to go wrong. This is the first surgery that I've ever had!
3. I'm finally moved into my apartment! It's really weird. I feel like I'm just visiting someone at their apartment, except that they aren't here. Raven and I went grocery shopping, which we realized is a bad thing to do without a list! Pretty much we ended up with the stuff to make chocolate chip cookies, pizza rolls, bagel bites, ice cream, and cereal. Oh, and bread and spaghetti stuff. We need to figure out necessities and we need to get some fruits and veggies going on! I figure things will even out once we've been here longer and once I can eat regularly without cringing every time I put food in my mouth like I do now. I can't wait to have everything unpacked! I'm about halfway there. We don't have cable, which makes me really sad, but maybe that will be good for me. Although I did miss out on the season premier of The Hills tonight. Which was a show we ALWAYS watched. But I think we can watch it online. And we're talking about getting NetFlix.
4. FOURTH COMINGS. I'm not finished but omg if she doesn't say yes I may die. This is all I will say for now. I'm SO close to finishing. I think I'm on Friday. Or something. Argh!!! I will definitely have it finished tomorrow (do you hear this Lindsay? I expect you to have it finished, too!!)
5. I have a new love. And her name is Hannah Montana. Slash Miley Stewart. Slash Cyrus. Ahhhh gotta love the Disney Channel. But I refuse to watch High School Musical!!
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